Erica"I lost you." He smiled and reached out, tapping my arm."Oh, sorry. I had a really long day today." I smiled up at the server as he stopped by the table. We ordered wine and Mitch ordered two appetizers, which we agreed would be our dinner."You mentioned your long day, but you haven't said what happened." He clasped his hands in his lap and pressed a hard stare against me."It's somewhat personal, I guess." I glanced down at the table and tried to think through how to get out of the awkwardness he was leading us into."Well, I won't pry, but I figure with both of us leading the Seattle office, we'll become close friends sometime in the near future." His voice was deep, soothing."I'd like that." I glanced up and realized that maybe his definition of friends was different than my own. I was intensely grateful when the wine showed up."How long have you been working for Kent?" He took a drink of his wine and tugged at the front of his button down shirt."Two years, but I've know
MattEvery mess up from the last two weeks rolled through my mind as if on a carousal as I sat on the plane on Wednesday morning. I'd jacked things up with Erica royally, and damn if I didn't try and call her several times after talking to Sophie on Monday only to hang up when her voicemail picked up. There was no way I was apologizing in a message on her phone. It would have been easy, but she and I both knew that was the chicken-shit way of doing things.Damon and I worked out our differences the day before, and I was glad to be back on even playing ground with him. It wasn't his fault that I was perpetually dicking up my life, but it sure felt good to push it off onto him.I groaned and pressed my palms to my eyes. Erica has to forgive me. She has to understand."No... she doesn't." I ran my fingers down my face as the flight attendant at the front of the private jet gave me an odd look. "I talk to myself all the time." I smiled. "Mostly because I'm the only one that doesn't argue
Matt"Matt. Good to see you again." Joan extended her hand as I walked toward her."Pleasure is all mine." I shook her hand and nodded to Erica's office. "Is she around?""She's in a meeting, but have a seat in her office and I'll let her know that you're here." She smiled. "Would you like a coffee or water?""No thanks. I'll grab something myself if I get thirsty.""Of course. This is your father's firm.""Yep." I walked toward Erica's office, and breathed in deeply when I walked in, catching traces of her perfume. Every cell in my body woke up. I breathed in again as if I were out of breath. Dropping down in the chair in front of her desk, I imagined her sitting in front of me, her dark blond hair in a loose bun, her lips cherry red.What the fuck was I doing? Why did the boy in me show up when commitment was at stake? I forced myself to stand my ground with her when she came in.I was sorry.I was beyond interested.I was in love. Period."Yeah, thanks, Joan. I'll just leave them i
EricaSorrow threatened to suffocate me as I watched him walk toward the elevator. A scream lodged in my chest, burning me from the inside out.My pride wouldn't let me move, but my heart cried out to run after him. To stop him, throw myself at him and beg him to love me.So weak. Pathetic. Needy. Everything my mom wasn't.I turned and forced one foot in front of the other until I made it back to my desk. The large bouquet of flowers from Mitch was almost too much, but the gesture was sweet, kind. Poor Matt for having to see them. He had to be worried that I'd moved on after our weekend together. As if. I wished I could move on, but it wasn't going to happen for a while. No matter how perfect Mitch might be for me. I felt nothing more than an odd curiosity toward him."Erica. Is everything okay?" Joan's voice was soft, timid even."Yes." I sat down at my desk and looked up toward her as my eyes filled with tears. "No. Can you shut the door for me?""Of course, dear. I'll hold your cal
Erica"Hi there. You looking for something specific?" A short girl with a bobbed haircut bounced up beside me, a huge smile on her face.I pointed to the puppies in the glass case in front of me. "Can I see the little brown one?""You bet. He's a mix between a Schnauzer and a Yorkshire Terrier. Super playful and loves to chew on things." She laughed and left me standing there as she went behind a closed door.I'd been wanting a pet for as long as I could remember, but it never seemed like a wise investment. Wise could take a hike now. I needed someone or something to love on and be loved by. Not trivial, conditional love like most of the men in my life, outside of my father, had given me. Unconditional love. Joy. Happiness.She walked back out and I laughed as my heart swelled in my chest.Yes. That feeling. Exactly. "Here you go. This little guy is six weeks old. Still a baby." She handed him to me and I cuddled him against my chest."Six weeks old? You're so cute, little guy." He l
MattThe weather was a little bit more biting in Seattle than Texas, but it was good for me. I pushed myself hard, forcing my jog into more of a run as I moved down the harbor with the other joggers. Erica was constantly on my mind, driving me mad with the need to have reconciliation. My family thought so much of her, and I was right behind them, but she wasn't having anything from me. My indecision to call left me not even friend-zoned, but put into the category of a new employee that she'd never seen a day in her life."Tonight," I mumbled and turned to head downtown. Traffic was crazy, but it would keep me alert and aware of my surroundings and not let me dive too far into the hamster-wheel conversation in my head. Should have called. Told her you loved her. Asked her to be yours. Should have called. Told her you- "Fuck!"I jerked back as a car honked and skidded to a stop beside my thigh. A second later and the guy would have hit me. I glanced up to see the sign across the street
Matt"Yeah. I'm fine, and I met the old coot on Wednesday when I went up to the office to tell Erica I was in town. He brought her a large vase thing full of flowers. Seems like he's got his eye on a much younger woman. Mine.""Oh shit. Seriously?" Damon chuckled."It's not funny. He's the kind of man she deserves." I sat back and held in a sigh."How do you know the type of man she deserves? You're being a presumptuous cock, by the way.""Thanks. That's almost a compliment coming from you." I got up and wiped my hands down the front of my shirt."Fix this shit with Erica or I'm going to fix it for you. There's only room for one asshole in the family, and I'm the older brother. I get first dibs."I smiled. "This is true. I'm working on it. It's not as easy as you think.""Oh, I'm well aware. You and Kendal have been all over me to fix my problems with Beth, but it's a little more complicated than a 'sorry’, right?"Kendal was Damon's best friend from college, and just happened to be t
Erica"Dammit," I muttered as I walked into the darkness of my apartment. I'd promised myself I wouldn’t let him sweep me off my feet, and he hadn't yet, but it was a matter of time. "Yeah, minutes."If he wasn't everything I'd dreamt he could be over the last few years it would be different, but he was. Just because he had tucked tail and run the weekend before didn't mean he wasn't still that man underneath the fear.I pulled my dress over my head and changed into a pair of jeans, a nice blouse and black flats. A quick brush through my hair and touch up on my lipstick and I was jogging back downstairs. Annoyance at the fluttering of my heart rose up sharply in my chest. How could I so quickly forgive him?Because he was earnestly sorry. He wasn't a dick, he was lost but searching, just like I was.He watched me like a hawk as I walked toward the car. It's the way I'd wanted him to look at me since meeting me.What about Mitch?"What about Mitch?" I snorted and reached for the car do